MONTGOMERY TWP. — The past week has been a busy one for the Fire Department of Montgomery Township, and on Monday night township officials made sure to say thanks.

On Monday night, the board met the FDMT’s slate of officers for 2014 along with those for the department’s Relief Association, and the commissioners expressed their thanks for protecting the township, particularly during the recent winter weather.

“I’m sure you’ve been very busy throughout this horrible weather, so we appreciate all that the men and women of the fire company do,” said supervisors Chairman Joe Walsh.

Several of the company’s officers attended Monday night’s meeting and were introduced by Director of Fire Services Rick Lesniak, in an annual tradition by which the supervisors and officers meet and greet each other at the start of every year. The operational officers for 2014 were introduced by Fire Chief Bill Wiegman and include Deputy Chief Joseph Simes; Assistant Chief William Goltz; battalion Chiefs Vince Zirpoli and Joseph Bennett; company Captains Joseph Bifolco, Frank Colelli, John Scheiter and Paul Smith; Lieutenants Paul Mogensen, Michael Shinton and Vinay Setty; Chief Engineer Warren Fuchs, Fire Police Captain Robert Bailey, Fire Police Lieutenants William Adams and Matthew Palm, and Health and Safety Officer Joan Anton.

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Those officers present received a round of handshakes and congratulations from the township supervisors, as did two other sets of officers. FDMT’s Administrative President Alex Olimpo introduced administrative Vice President Gene Scholl, Treasurer Goltz, Assistant Treasurer Rachel Troutman, Financial Secretary Stacy Bailey, Secretary Shinton, and Head Trustee Fuchs.

Shinton, acting in his capacity as president of the FDMT Relief Association, also introduced that body’s 2014 officers: Vice President Palm, Treasurer Joel Silver, and Secretary William Fluck.

As part of the fire services agreement between the company and the township, Lesniak told the board, FDMT is required to annually advise the board of the activities it plans for the year. In 2014, the company plans to hold a car wash fundraiser in May, take part in the annual Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Carnival in June, host a Car Show in August and take part in a Coin Toss fundraiser in December.

Lesniak also asked the board to approve the use of grant money from the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner’s Office obtained via the annual Volunteer Firefighter/Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant program. Lesniak told the board that in September 2013 an application was submitted seeking a total of $27,077.42 in grant money, $13,619.31 for DFS to buy four portable radios to be used on Montgomery County’s new radio system, and $13,458.11 for FDMT to use to buy one new thermal imaging camera and one gas meter.

Several firefighters stayed behind in the supervisors’ meeting room after the board introductions to hear that the grant expenses were approved unanimously, and after the vote Wiegman thanked the board for the approval.

For more information about the Fire Department of Montgomery Township and its activities visit www.FDMT.org or follow @FDMT18 on Twitter; for more on the township supervisors visit www.MontgomeryTwp.org or follow @Monttwp on Twitter.